Core Functions
と has 4 main uses:
- Complete listing - "and" (exhaustive)
- Accompaniment - "with" (doing together)
- Quotation - marks quoted speech/thought
- Natural consequence - "when/if" (automatic result)
1. Complete Listing (And)
List all items in a group:
りんごとバナナ - "apples and bananas"
犬と猫 - "dogs and cats"
私と田中さん - "me and Tanaka"
Key: Lists ALL items (complete list).
Compare with や (partial list):
と = complete: A, B, C (only these)
や = partial: A, B, etc. (and other things)
2. Accompaniment (With)
Doing something together with someone:
友達と遊ぶ - "play with friends"
家族と食べる - "eat with family"
彼と話す - "talk with him"
先生と会う - "meet with teacher"
Pattern: [Person]と [Action verb]
3. Quotation Marker
Marks direct/indirect speech or thought:
「行きます」と言った
"(He) said 'I'll go'"
面白いと思う
"(I) think it's interesting"
田中さんだと聞いた
"(I) heard it's Tanaka"
Common verbs with と:
- 言う (say)
- 思う (think)
- 聞く (hear)
- 書く (write)
4. Natural Consequence
Automatic/natural result (conditional):
春になると暖かくなる
"When spring comes, it gets warm"
ボタンを押すとドアが開く
"When you press the button, the door opens"
Pattern: [Action]と [Natural result]
と vs や vs か
| Particle | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| と | and (all) | 犬と猫 (only these) |
| や | and (etc.) | 犬や猫 (and others) |
| か | or | 犬か猫 (one of them) |
と vs に for "To"
友達と話す - "talk with friend" (mutual)
友達に話す - "talk to friend" (one-way)
友達と会う - "meet with friend" (together)
友達に会う - "meet friend" (see them)
Quotation Patterns
Direct Quote
「はい」と言った
"(He) said 'yes'"
Indirect Quote
行くと言った
"(He) said he'll go"
Thought
美味しいと思う
"(I) think it's delicious"
Hearsay
雨だと聞いた
"(I) heard it's raining"
Conditional と
Natural/habitual consequence:
この道を行くと駅がある
"If you go down this road, there's a station"
夏になると暑くなる
"When summer comes, it gets hot"
Not for intentions - use たら/ば for those.
Cannot Use と With
Tools/means (use で)
✗ ペンと書く
✓ ペンで書く
"write with a pen"
Destinations (use に/へ)
✗ 東京と行く
✓ 東京に行く
"go to Tokyo"
Common Patterns
Listing
AとBとC
パンと牛乳とりんご
"bread, milk, and apples"
Accompaniment
[Person]と [Verb]
友達と遊ぶ - "play with friends"
Quotation
「Quote」と言う
面白いと思う - "think it's interesting"
Natural Result
[Condition]と [Result]
春になると花が咲く
"When spring comes, flowers bloom"
Casual Speech
って can replace と in quotations:
Formal: 行くと言った
Casual: 行くって言った
"(He) said he'll go"
Key Takeaways
✓ Complete list (all items)
✓ Doing together with someone
✓ Marks quotations/thoughts
✓ Natural consequences
✓ Different from や (partial) and か (or)
Related: